


maybe, knock first

by hoppnhorn



Series: Harringrove Bits & Pieces [18]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-19 11:42:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17000991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hoppnhorn/pseuds/hoppnhorn
Summary: In the dim light, Dustin saw Steve’s head shoot up, hair in every direction as he squinted. Dustin couldn’t help but cackle at the bewildered look on his friend’s face as Steve mumbled, “What the–”“What the fuck?”A second voice groused and Dustin froze, his laughter turning to an odd sort of squeak as Billy Hargrove sat up beside Steve in bed, his face set in a hard glare.





	maybe, knock first

**Author's Note:**

> "could you ever maybe possibly make a little one shot based off that one vine where the dude goes in the room and yells wake up sleepyhead and another dude pops up in his bed ? sorry to bother if it's like a weird request! x"  
> posted as [a prompt on tumblr](https://hoppnhorn.tumblr.com/post/173467891178/could-you-ever-maybe-possibly-make-a-little-one) hope you enjoy!

Steve’s apartment is a dump and that was putting it nicely. Dustin was pretty sure he could call the CDC and have the place quarantined without even stepping foot inside. He’d heard that money was tight in college, but he couldn’t imagine Steve Harrington living in a place that smelled like feet. 

Alas, as he dug through his backpack for his spare key to Steve’s apartment, he caught a distinct whiff of old tennis shoe as a neighbor opened their door. The guy was dressed in a pair of boxers and some suspiciously brown slippers, holding a bag of trash in one hand. Dustin dug faster and tried not to make eye contact with the guy as he unlocked the front door. 

Inside the apartment was better. He’d only visited once or twice but both times the place had been littered with boxes, filled to the gills with all of Steve’s shit. Now, it was all put away. There were bookshelves and furnishings and things were actually  _ neat _ . Dustin grinned. Among all the stuff propped on the shelves, including a diploma and the nail bat, there were framed pictures. The Party was captured in several photographs, smiles wide and beaming behind glass. Dustin took a moment to look at them all and his chest warmed with memories. 

The fourth of July parade: Steve with his arms around Lucas and Dustin, lips blue from a popsicle while Max’s fingers made bunny ears behind Steve’s head. The pool: El and Max huddled in a beach towel with matching grins, hair wet and dripping from a day in the water. Graduation: Everyone gathered in the backyard at the Byers’ house, smashed close to fit into frame before Jonathan set a timer and jogged back to his spot. There was one photo, however, that Dustin didn’t recognize. It was crinkled, like maybe it’d been sat on once or twice before it’d made it to the frame. That photo made Dustin frown in confusion. It was Billy. Max’s step brother. Cigarette in his mouth, middle finger in the air, and a smirk on his lips. Why Steve had  _ that _ framed in his living room, Dustin wasn’t sure. 

Setting his backpack down on the floor, he checked his watch. It was almost 11am. Rubbing his hands together, Dustin set off down the small hallway to Steve’s room, moving as quietly as possible as he neared. With a muted giggle, he opened the bedroom door fast and filled his lungs. 

“WAKE UP SLEEPY HEAD!”

In the dim light, Dustin saw Steve’s head shoot up, hair in every direction as he squinted. Dustin couldn’t help but cackle at the bewildered look on his friend’s face as Steve mumbled, “What the–”

“ _ What the fuck? _ ” 

A second voice groused and Dustin froze, his laughter turning to an odd sort of squeak as Billy Hargrove sat up beside Steve in bed, his face set in a hard glare. 

“DUSTIN?” Steve was grabbing at his sheets as his eyes widened with recognition. 

“Steve?” Dustin really didn’t know what else to say…or do. Except stand frozen and stare as Steve looked over at Billy and let out a small whine of frustration. 

“Billy.” 

Billy made a face before returning the exaggerated expression. 

“ _ Steve. _ ” 

Hands flinging wildly, Steve gestured between Billy and the room, hair bobbing.  

“ _ Jesus _ , would you put on something–” 

“ _ You _ put on something, you’re naked too, asshole.” Billy muttered in response, clearly unfazed by Dustin or Steve as he stretched with only a small pool of sheets covering his lap. Steve grabbed a pillow and jabbed it on top of Billy’s hips, which resulted in a small grunt from Billy’s lips. 

“WHY IS BILLY HARGROVE IN YOUR BED?” Dustin’s hands were somewhere between buried in his hair and over his eyes, like the image of a nearly naked Billy was burning his retinas. 

“Where else would I sleep?” Billy hissed back. Dustin’s mouth fell open in amazement as Billy leaned over, fishing around in a nightstand to retrieve a pack of cigarettes. He lit one while Steve continued rub his palms over his face.

“Dustin…Billy lives here.” Steve eventually murmured, dropping his hands to the sheets with a muted  _ thump _ . “He’s my boyfriend.”

“Mmm, more like roommate slash built-in booty call.” Billy said around a cigarette before Steve promptly yanked the smoke from his lips with a scowl. “What? I’m just kid–”

“You two are  _ dating _ ?” Dustin breathed in disbelief, blinking rapidly as Steve sighed and stubbed the cigarette out in an ashtray. 

“Look, I know it’s confusing but…” Steve rubbed his arms, looking down at his lap instead of up at Dustin. Meanwhile, Billy glared from his side of the bed.

“You got a problem with gays, kid?” He snapped, brows low in a hard frown. Dustin snorted. 

“No, I have a problem with my friend and role model dating a grade-A asshole.” 

Billy’s frown cracked in a wide smile and Steve’s shoulders seemed to relax, a little, airy chuckle leaking from his lips. 

“You hear that?” Billy elbowed Steve in the side. “I’m grade-A.”

“Look…” Meeting Dustin’s eyes, Steve gave him a small smile. “Things are different.” As Steve glanced over at Billy, Dustin saw his expression soften. He saw the lines around his forehead fade, the tension around his mouth loosen. Dustin saw the same expression when Lucas looked at Max. When Hopper looked at Joyce. 

And he could see it on Billy Hargrove’s face, reflected back at Steve.

“Yeah. Okay. But…I have questions.” Dustin stated. Steve nodded and Dustin felt a little swell of happiness in his chest at the genuine smile on his friend’s face. Shuffling backwards to the door, Dustin pointed to the hallway. “Um, I’ll–” 

“Thanks.” Steve said softly before Dustin ducked from the room and shut the door. Through the thin, cheap wood, he heard a hard snort. “So much for telling them over Christmas break.”

“Think of it this way, pretty boy. At least we weren’t fuc–  _ OW! _ ”


End file.
